Born in a French relocation camp after parents fled their home following the 1956 Hungarian Uprising

Moved with family to Chicago while still an infant

Raised in Illinois and California

First film credit, working as a production assistant on the horror film, "Hell Night"

With a group of friends, acquired the rights to a Stephen King short story, "Woman in the Room"; eventually wrote, produced and directed a 30-minute adaptation of the story which was later aired on some cable stations and released to video

Received credit as a set dresser on Ken Russell's "Crimes of Passion"

Sold a screenplay entitled "Black Cat Run" to producer Jere Henshaw and Apollo Pictures

First screenplay credit, "A Nightmare on Elm Street III: Dream Warriors"

Received a nomination for a Writers Guild of America Award for "The Ventriloquist's Dummy," an episode of the HBO horror anthology series, "Tales from the Crypt"

First credit as producer, the USA Network TV-movie, "Buried Alive"; also directed

Wrote several episodes of the ABC adventure series, "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles"

Offered $2.4 million for his screenplay adaptation of Stephen King's short story, "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption" by Rob Reiner of Castle Rock Productions, with the chance to also direct another film; Darabont turned it down because he wanted to direct the film based on his screenplay

Did screenplay rewrites for Kenneth Branagh's feature, "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein"

Release of feature directorial debut, "The Shawshank Redemption"; film earned seven Oscar nominations including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay for Darabont

Had small role in the TV miniseries version of King's "The Shining," directed by Mick Garris

Executive produced and scripted the HBO film "Black Cat Run"

Reportedly worked on the script to "Saving Private Ryan," starring Tom Hanks; Robert Rodat, however, received sole credit

Returned to filmmaking at the helm of "The Green Mile," an adaptation of Stephen King's novel starring Hanks; also produced and scripted; received Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Screenplay

Returned to filmmaking at the helm of "The Majestic," starring Jim Carrey; also co-wrote screenplay

Published the novella "Walpuski's Typewriter"; originally written in his early twenties, it first appeared in Jessie Horsting's magazine Midnight Graffiti

Adapted and directed "The Mist," a horror film based on the 1980 novella by Stephen King